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Friday, December 25, 2015

Merry Christmas to all! Wishing you all the best for a wonderful holiday season!(Thanks to my parents for the Christmas jammies! We had a lot of fun with them - and they are so comfy! You can get them on Amazon too!)

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It's not too late to celebrate the holiday season by thanking those you love with a gift of wellness…

Been putting it off or stressing over what to get that person on your list?

Well, here's a gift that's Never too big…never too small…always just right! Any relative or loved one would appreciate the gift of feeling better!

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

This past weekend, P & I participated in the "walk the bridge" event here in Louisville. We have a new bridge that the city has been working on forEVER, and now they've finally opened it up partially to traffic. Before it opened up to vehicles, pedestrians were allowed to come and check it out (Saturday at 10:00 AM). The day didn't flow quite the way it was originally planned - it was super foggy that morning so the ceremony was running quite late. Of course, we got there early, and so we ended up waiting quite a while. As we were waiting on the bridge, packed in with all the other people (where some were chanting "Open the bridge! Open the bridge!"), P and I started to get a little nervous. There's so much going on in the world today that is scary and outside of our control, so several people around us were discussing what could happen (stampede, riot, bomb, gunman, bridge collapse, etc). It was a little freaky, and in all honesty, we spent several minutes discussing an exit strategy, just in case. Thankfully, it was uneventful, and we were able to walk the bridge and say we did! In all, it was a cool experience!However, this event made me think about things. I don't regularly watch the news because there's so much doom and gloom that it's easy to get sucked in and be convinced that the world is a horrible place. Politics are another story altogether (although it does make me laugh to look at Trump's hair). The thing is, it's not all bad. There's so much good going on in the world, especially this time of year when people are more giving and we think more of doing things for others.I saw this video today on Facebook and it really struck a cord with me:

This poor little girl was being harassed by bullies, but these awesome bystanders weren't having it. (via Rob Bliss Creative)Posted by Upworthy on Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Please, use this video as inspiration. Let's take care of each other! Or if that didn't do it for you, check these out:

Do something nice for someone else without wanting something in return. I promise, it'll make you feel good! (Have you ever heard the phrase "the more you give, the more you'll receive?" It's true!) Here are just some examples:

If you see someone getting bullied, say something!

At the coffee shop, pay for the person behind you

In traffic, be patient with those cars around you

If someone is from out of town or doesn't have family nearby, invite them to your holiday celebration

Volunteer at a soup kitchen or homeless shelter

Tell a friend or coworker what you appreciate about them

If you know someone who is struggling this time of year, reach out to them, even to just say hello and that you're thinking about them

When someone does something nice for you, say thank you, and pay it forward

Smile at a stranger and say hello! It might just be the thing that helps them make it through their day

Tis the season! We're all in this together, so let's work together to make this world a better place!What can you do today to make someone else's day better? Have you heard a story recently that really inspired you to do something nice for others? Please share in the comments!

It's helpful to be intentional about what you want to do this Holiday season. Focus on the things you really want to do with friends or family to make this time special.

(Did anybody catch Rudolph on TV this week? We did - one of our favorites, as evidenced by our Rudolph and Yukon Cornelius bobble-heads!! Please excuse the bad photo quality :))

Here are just a few more thoughts to help you keep your sanity this month:

Ditch the guilt!

This is my favorite saying (other than "just breathe!"). Life's too short to feel guilty about stuff, especially things that really don't matter in the big picture! Who really cares if you don't get all of your decorations put up, or if you ate some Christmas cookies. Do/eat the things you love, enjoy them, and don't worry about the rest. Remember - Life is short, enjoy it!!

Nobody is perfect, so stop holding yourself to that standard!

As I've mentioned before, I have a tendency to like things to be a certain way or have certain expectations of things I want to do. However, sometimes there just isn't time or a way to get them done just so, and I've learned that it's okay to just let that stuff go. For example, if you like to wrap every present with special paper, ribbons and bows - you know what? Sometimes it's okay to just use a gift bag. The recipient most likely won't know the difference or won't care! If you don't have time or energy, just let it go.

Be patient!

There are a lot of opportunities to be impatient and get frustrated this time of year (traffic backed up for seemingly no reason, shopping at the crowded mall, waiting in line to see Santa, etc). This is the perfect time to practice your mindful breathing - it doesn't do you or those around you any good to get all worked up about something that is out of your control!

It's okay to say no.

To save your sanity, some things may just have to be skipped this year, and that's okay! If you normally have your Christmas cards ready to send each year right after Thanksgiving, but this year it's just not happening, skip it! For that example, send them in the new year when you have more time - people will enjoy hearing from you even if it's after the fact!

Also, remember that "No" is a complete sentence.

You don't have to explain yourself to others. If you can't make a party (or choose not to go), just say no. "Thank you for the invite, but I can't make it this time" is perfectly sufficient - you really don't owe others an explanation.

Don't forget to take care of you!

Aside from general self carethat is important year round, the holidays are a tough time of year for a lot of people. If that's you, please be kind to yourself and take care of your needs. Ask for help if you need it. The wonderful thing about this time of year is how giving people really are, but sometimes they don't know what to do, or may not know that you're struggling.

And take care of each other!

Be mindful of others and what they're going through. If you have a family/friend gathering, invite someone who doesn't have plans to come with you. Some of the best holiday gatherings I remember are when we've had families or friends who didn't have a place to go join us.

Most importantly, have fun (remember, life is short)!No matter what your religious beliefs are, let's share the Christmas spirit with other - we're all in this together, right? And if this is a tough time for you and you want someone to talk to, let me know! Is there something you can let go of this year to make your holiday less stressful? Please share in the comments.